Box-covering blank.



PATENTED FEB. 26, 1907.

J. S. STOKES.

BOX COVERING BLANK.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 20.1906.

.jizwezz 2% a cffziayaZe Z5 diaw ea' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIGE.

JOHN STOGDELL STOKES, OF MOORESTOWN, NEW. JERSEY.

BOX-COVERING BLANK,

Application filed March To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J our: STOGDELL STOKES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Moorestown, 'in the couhty of Burlington and v State of New Jersey, have invented new and useful Improvements in Box-Covering Blanks, of which the following-is a specification.

My present invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in box-covering blanks, such as are employed in covering the top, side, and end; walls or the bottom, side, and end walls of paper boxes.

Covering-blanks of this type are now generally applied to paper boxes by machinery such, for instance, as box-covering machines of the type illustrated in the patent granted to' Philip S. Smith upon the 14th day of January, 1902, Patent No. 691,329. In the operation of the machine the box to be covered having first been stayed at the corners with suitable binding-strips, the coveringblank is then appliedby themachine. It has been found that unstayed boxes may be covered on these machines, the applied covering-blanks themselves serving to stay" or strengthen the corners of the boxes; but owing to the fact that the covering-blanks are usually composed of thin or flimsy'p'aper the finished box does not have that strength and rigidity at the corners as is required by the trade. Hence this method in many instances has not met with'general favor.

The prime obj ect, therefore, of the presentinvention is to provide a covering-blank especially adapted *for covering unstayed boxes or box-shells that have not been stayed at the corner", and in carrying the invention into effect provide each covering-blank with an attached reinforcing strip or tab at the points where the end laps of the blank turn the corners of the vertical walls of the box, whereby when the covering-blank is applied the box is not only covered, but its corners are also stayed or strengthened.

In order to illustrate the invention, I have elected to show the same as applied to a familiar form of covering-blank such as is now used with the machine hereinbefore referred to; but I do not Wish to be understood as limiting myselfto this particular outline or design of blank, as it will be apparent that the design or outline will vary accordingly as the shape or contour of thebox varies.

In the annexed drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of one formof covering-blank Specification of Letters Patent.

20,1906. Serial No. 306,972. I

- Patented Feb. 26, 1907.

made according to the invention and having the reinforcing-strips applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a section on the line a a of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a perspectiveview of a box having one of my improved blanks applied thereto, a portion of a side Wall near one corner of the box being broken away to show the position of the reinforcing-strips. Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view of one corner of the boxshell, showing one of my improved stayblanks attached thereto.

Referring to the drawings, the referencenumeral 1 designates-the body portion of the blank, which is shaped to correspond to the size and shape of the top or bottom of the box to be covered, as the case may be. 2

are the end flaps or wings,.and 3 are the side flaps or wings, the latter having the usual end laps 4.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the form of blank illustrated consists of a body type in covering unstayed boxes, I con- I I template strengthening those portions of the covering-blank that are turned around the unstayed corners of the vertical box-walls,

box these'previously unstayed corners will be stayed and strengthened, the operations of covering and staying being carried on simultaneously, thus materially reducing-the cost of the finished box.

One method of carrying out the invention is herein illustrated and consists in applying directly to those flaps or wings that carry the end laps 4 strengthening or reinforcing strips or tabs- 5, of relatively strong or tough but flexible materialsuch as Manila paper, muslin, or anyother suitable flexible materialthe said reinforcing strips or tabs extending upon both sides of the folding-line 6 between the wings and end laps, but preferably terminating at a point short of the extreIne end edge of the end laps. These reinforcing stripsor tabs 5 are secured to the so that when the covering is applied to the IIO covering-blank by adhesive either-[before or after the blank has been cornered.

When the reinforced blank is tobe applied to a box, the reinforced face thereof is coated throughout'with adhesive. The top or bot tom of the box-shell, as the case may be, is then centered upon the body portion 1 of the blank, and the side and end wings of the cover-blank are then folded up and applied to the side and end walls ofthe'box either by machine or by hand, accordingly as the box is machine or hand covered.

In some cases it is desirable to so attach the strengthening strips or tabs to the covering-blank that when the free edges of the wings of the blank are folded over the upper edge of the box the said strengthening-tabs,

will also extend over the edge of and down into the box, thereby adding increased strength to the corners thereof.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

- 1. As anew article of manufacture, a boxcovering blank for completely covering the bottom and sidewalls and for staying the corner-joints of a box-shell, said blank comprising a body portion of thin flexible material having integral side wings provided with end lap extensions adapted to be folded about the box-corners, and corner-staying tabs consisting of separatepieees of staying material attachedto each wing and its ex tensions and positioned thereon over the corner-folding lines to stay the corner-joints of said box-Shelli 2. As a new article of manufacture, a box covering and staying blank for completely covering the bottom, side and end walls of a box-shell and. for staying the corner-joints thereof, said blank comprising a body portion having-integral side and end'wings, end

nesses.

JOHN STOGDELL STOKES. Witnesses:

DANIEL FITLER, LEO T. DONNELLY. 

